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User blog:FireDrag1091/Unshattered Resolve I
City East The Last Safe City, Earth 6th of September, 3217 An hour following the activation of the Cage... ---- Fingers of life tapped against cold, dead stone. Precious drops of blood brushed its crimson stain against the greyish concrete, the fingers laid still for but a moment. Violent movements of these fingers broke across the dusted ruins of the rubble, which trapped resistance. The fractured rubble shuttered, shaking from the unexpected uprising. The artificial cruelty and oppression slowly moved, as the pained desperate breaths of life that clawed for freedom. From the depth of Darkness, the skies of the light shone. And the light smelled like burning concrete. Metal. Banners. The nigh-broken shape that had claimed its freedom, now stared at its gift of sight. But yet, something contradicted it's freedom. Some tanget that left the struggle of the shape unfulfilled. Fingers struggled to pull at the helmet that trapped the vision, perhaps corrupted by the shattered visor and malfunctioning head's-up display. The cracked reinforced aqua-tinted visor shattered and splintered more, as the blood-stained fingers pressed desperately against the helmet. Life billowed from the dead, as the ice coloured eyes darted across the horizon. The already paced heart beat, thumped faster and faster as the bitter sight started to stain its painful existence on the reality of the raised life from death. Home and Hope. Conquered. The useless helmet hit the ash chipped concrete below, as the gray particles unsettled and scattered in the low and warm wind. The fingers of life dropped with its entire appendage, before the loose fingers tightened, as the eyes continued to scan the scene desperately. Life's desperation searched for some discrepancy, some resistance much like itself… to fight against the burn, to fight against the Red. But the purity of the White Hope burned Red. The Life, stood still. The blood covered fingers curled and gripped into a fist: cracking and pulsing with the heat and fury of Life. Pain, real and ever present drew forward, relaxing from lulled and numb gloom it had lurked within. And a staggered breath, pulled in. "Svarog…?" The Life spoke, "Svarog… can you hear me?" "I-I can…" The Life glanced around, as its slouched figure searched for the origin of the familiar and pained mechanical sound. Its eyes spotted the low flicker of a blue light among the gray ruins and through the wisps of black smoke, as the shape of Life scrambled desperately to grab for it. Life collapsed, pain surged through its right leg as it gasped in surprise. The leg twisted uncomfortably out of its regular position, sending latent though real pulses of pain. It bit its lip, the Life nevertheless crawled forward; unrelenting, as it dragged its mangled body toward the star-shaped object. "A-Avgust…" Avgust paused, his eyes concentrated solely on the shape of his Ghost. The Titan paused as he saw the shape of Svarod hum softly, before he relented to the apprehension of the Ghost. His leg shaked, his fingers trembled, and his breath slowed. But he held still, as he refused to move despite his instinct that told him to do so. He waited for Svarog. "T-the Light… I can't…" Avgust drew in a hollow breath, as the smoke dusted his nostrils and his throat. He nearly coughed, but weakly resisted. His quivering fingers squeezed the rubble and debris underneath him… but what the Ghost had said, spoke true. Something was missing: faded… decayed. It was as if Death itself wrapped its fingers around Avgust's, blocking communion with the spark of Life that once freely danced. The Light was gone. "Svarog," Avgust calmly said, "we... " He paused, there was nothing else the Titan could say. No statement, no order. It had left him. He did not know what he wanted to say, nor did he know what he could ask. A flood of words washed over his mind, but in the end it contributed to nothing more than senseless statements and jargon. Words from mismatching languages: atakovat', verteidigen, visszavonul... words slowly formed, as Avgust offered a desperate command: "Find a regrouping point." "I…" Svarog seemingly whimpered, "okay… found one. A Fireteam-no…" A deafening pause swallowed the noise of the little words that Svarog said, seemingly struggled to process any more information. Avgust watched on in desperation and horror, he recognised the struggle of his friend and comrade. The blue light flickered, before the wounded star slowly picked itself from off the ground: as it floated nigh-lazily before eventually it managed to clear the dust and rubble. Svarog cautiously and slowly floated to where the Titan lied, and offered more: "A survivor, a Guardian… sending a random-access code, requesting immediate assistance." "Where?" Avgust asked. "Towards City North, adjusting coordinates rapidly…" Svarog paused, "but you are in no condition to-" "We are going to City North." Avgust stated simply, again moved his obviously wounded leg to under his body in an attempt to lift himself up from the rubble. Pain roared throughout his body as he attempted to do so, muscles constricted and bones ached as the Titan bit his own tongue to prevent himself from yelled out in pain. He collapsed again, Avgust laid still for a moment. How could his strength fail him now? It seemed to him to be more than a mere insult, a small problem to be straightened and corrected. It seemed to him to be failure, to be inability. Not too long ago, he could strike anything; feel as it cracked and broke under his might and power. But now? He could not even stand. "Avgust…" Svarog responded, "if you die…" The air grew colder. The Titan's eyes fixated on the Ghost; unshakable attention aroused and the Titan stared. Reality slowly crept forward, as its skulking and ugly existence broke through the smoke and ash filled air. Avgust fully understood what the Ghost said, and that though his statement was unfinished: its end was already communicated. Death was a reality once more. "Keep the feed on the coordinates," Avgust commanded, chosen to ignore the Ghost's statement, "try to raise parallel communication." "Titan, you can barely stand! What good are we if you cannot even fight back-" "We fight to the last!" Avgust interrupted, as he silenced the Ghost immediately. Svarog floated back, seemingly wearily from the sudden outburst. Avgust paused, moving his icy eyes to look at Svarog's singular blue. Immediate regret befell on the Titan, before he offered a low sigh and said: "Svarog…" Svarog blinked, "No… no, I understand. I will try, but no promise that they will not trace it back to us." "Svarog-" The Ghost opened into a blue orb of light, as digital signals seemingly were drawn in and sent out in a cascade. The light wisped along in the smoke-singed air, as the single curious eye of the Ghost darted around in search for something specific. The Titan lowered his head apologetically, before he glanced back up at Svarog. Noise: static, unclear… it broke through the low growl of the many fires that surrounded Avgust, before it cleared. "Immediate- … my Fireteam- 're dea- … twelve civilians, too many- I repeat: immediate assistance is- …" The voice broke over the COMM, as Avgust pieced together the narrative. He drew in one last breath, before he pushed himself to his knees. Svarog turned his gaze back to the Titan, as he narrowed his eye and said: I will let you do the talking. Avgust sighed, before he spoke aloud: "Guardian, this is Lieutenant Avgust. Keep firm, hold your position if possible and keep those civilians out of sight. I will be there shortly." The static stopped for but a moment. Then, it roared: "... -Lie … I thought the Van- … the Light- … we?" Avgust blinked, unsure of the meaning behind the message. He looked at Svarog, as the Ghost then attempted to scrub through the transmission. No success. The Titan sighed before he answered: "Do not worry. We will be there. Lay low." Svarog closed the connection, before he glanced back at the Titan. The Ghost muttered something, before it said aloud: "We do not have much time then… we have a several kilometre hike across now hostile terrain. And you cannot walk." Avgust held back from responding to the Ghost's remark, instead having chose to watch as the Ghost drew closer to him. The singular blue eye blinked, before the shape of the Ghost closed back into place. Opening a thin-fanning beam, Svarog scanned over the wounded body of the Titan, before the Ghost muttered: "I will at least be able to help you with that." Svarog closed the scan, as he immediately began to pour white Light over the wounded body of the Titan. The gash running along Avgust's forehead sealed, not even leaving even the slightest resemblance of a scar. The chest of the Titan started to move, as the bones settled back into place: allowing the Titan to draw in breaths easily. The leg that twisted in pain adjusted comfortably back into place, leaving no indication that it was broken as Avgust moved: helping to lift himself up. Injuries the Titan was not even aware of became mended and healed, and while pain was not completely removed, as the gentle numb and the occasional sore still rolled throughout his body: it was still far better than what he had been in. It is far better than what he could have been in. Avgust took in sweet, mindful breaths before he scanned the rubble laid in front of him. Spotting the frame of a familiar blue weapon, he paused. Immediately he stepped forward out of his kneeled state, before he halted and kneeled once more. His eyes scanned over the weapon as Svarog quickly swept in beside him. The Ghost looked at the weapon, before he turned his singular blue eye back to Avgust with an almost seeming expression of concern. Before the Ghost could speak, the Titan reached and pulled the machine gun out from the rubble that had covered it. Dust flew in a slow and sullen cloud as the Titan felt the now-lighter weight of the weapon he had once been so familiar with. The blue plating peeled or had dented, crushed under an oppressive weight as the once proud iron sights of the weapon had been bent out of place. Several sparks flew from the base of the machine gun as it recognised the hand of its master, as the green and blue lights that lined all over the weapon flickered or had faded completely. The magnetic coils that had balanced the centre of the weapon had oxidised and were bruised from their previous shine. Regardless, Avgust lifted the weapon back into the carry position he had been so familiar with. The lighter weight of the weapon made it feel odd to him, as parts of him boiled on the inside. He released, breathed and released a deep sigh. Now was not the time to consider the loss of equipment. Instead, he turned his gaze across the rubble littered ground and to the flames bursting through the concrete cracks. And instead he saw bodies. How he did not see them before, Avgust did not know. The large, hulking and muscular bodies of Cabal Legionaries and Centurions. The scattered, frail and broken corpses of the Psion troops. A dozen or so human-shaped casualties, wearing the regalia of the City. The Titan painfully counted the total as Svarog turned to see what his Guardian had been facing. "Avgust…" Svarog sighed, his tone lowered into a near whimper. Four Titans: whether Exo or Human, it did not matter. Their armour carapaces were broken, their bodies contorted in odd and inhumane degrees. A few held a tight grasp onto the weapons they had been carrying into battle: a Shotgun or an Auto Rifle. At least one broken star-shape, a Ghost, laid dead at the side of one of their Guardians. Five Hunters: had they been dry-humoured or sarcastic, Avgust would no longer know. Their cloaks torn into tatters, their light armour peeled off them like blistered skin. Two held broken-bladed Hunter knives, while one lay slumped over a wall, the trigger guard of the Hand Cannon balancing the heavy weapon on the finger of the dead Hunter. And finally, three Warlocks: if they were practical or orthodoxical, their knowledge had fled this world. Their heavy coats were ripped, their energy bonds that once would have shone with life: now dulled dead. All the Warlocks had abandoned their weapons, either opting to toss it to one side or having no real way to defend themselves with guns or swords. The Titan stood paralysed for but a moment. Svarog spoke again: "Avgust, I…" "No..." Avgust responded, guessing at what his companion would have said. Two Guardian Fireteams, which were entrusted under his command to… to do what? The Titan struggled to remember past the yelling that rung in his ears of his now dead comrades, to the gunfire… to the quick and sudden silence. To help the citizens in City East to evacuate. To protect them. The Guardians could not even protect themselves now. Avgust drew in a deep breath, as he muttered under poorly veiled anger: "Keep us on track to that Guardian's position. Mark this area for recovery. We will be back soon enough." ---- The Visegrád Dam, City East An hour later... ---- The rain cold sky stirred as cutting blades separated the clouds, almost as if they were sectioning them purposefully as the light of Sol thinned and disappeared across the horizon. The second orange sun which stood above the City dimmed, as the White trapped under it slowly burned to Black. There had been light only an hour or so before, but now there was nothing more than an unsettling black. The blades above beamed down white lights, imitated stars overhead as the blades unconsciously shattered and rained upon the City's rubble below. Large metal beetles seemed to float lazily across the scene, likewise as they targeted arbitrary targets below. Fires burst across the dark concrete, where it would have seemed as if the fuel any fire could have lived on had already been depleted by the burn. Three spotlights lashed across the metal-coated ceiling that the lone Guardian stood under, as he hoped that the bullet-holes that peppered and broke through the roof above would not provide ample space for those who searched for him to spot and target him. Avgust had hid here for only ten minutes, but it seemed to him as if it had been days. He listened to the Cabal's renderings of the once City-wide announcement system blare with their squeals and snorts. An alien language ran through and echoed across the Walls of the City, which only managed to anger the Titan more and more. The very thing they had used to warn the people of the City to prepare for evacuation from this threat: was the same thing the Cabal were manipulating to bark their orders to the soldiers looking to slaughter. His grasp around the Thunderlord tightened, as the third beam of light finally vanished and the booming whir of the Cabal Thresher signaled to Avgust that it had passed on. He slowly stood out of the kneeling position, as he lifted his Machine Gun up from the alert carry stance to point it down the collapsed corridor that lead to the outside world. The Titan slowly stepped forward, rolling his foot with each step to make his walking quieter. The Titan only felt the shivering cold wind and mist from the rains brush across his forehead and felt nothing more. Avgust slowly made his way outside, his lifted weapon scanned the scene with each body turn before he continued across the garage that had once stored civilian transport vehicles. The roof had collapsed, and the several overlooking buildings stood as imposing monoliths in the shadows of the night. Avgust scanned all the roofs for any Cabal footsoldier he could see as he slowly crawled across the rubble-infested garage. He had to ignore the scrap metal and the deflated rubber that he walked by, as he scanned over the details of a scorched civilian vehicle. Obviously, it was the work of the Cabal as the other three vehicles that should have been parked were gone. Avgust understood the story that happened here, even if he was not there to see it. The still-warm frame of the vehicle offered a brief break from the cold, before Avgust commanded his legs to continue to move. "Svarog, where is the position?" The Titan asked calmly, as he moved to the other doorway. "At least two kilometres still." Svarog replied, "It has not moved in two hours." Avgust paused, before he continued for a bit. He did not want to think about the implications of the other Guardian and survivors being dead. In fact, he could not accept it. "What is the terrain looking like?" "We are closer to the Visegrád Dam. We are currently at a service repair station for the hydropowered plant, but with the Red Legion having collapsed the dam… it could be difficult getting over." Svarog explained. "They are situated on the other side. Within distance is the Nagyerdő Park. Closer to City North's Airfield." "Any other route possible?" "Not that I can see, or that would take a shorter amount of time. The Visegrád Dam is really our only safe option." Avgust sighed as he stepped underneath the shelter of some damaged concrete and rebar once more on the other side of the garage. The Titan walked through the half-ruined hallway to the metal door which had been blown off its hinges. The embers of a dead fire still heated underneath his feet, as he glanced quickly at the burned or torn folders that contained several papers that were stamped with running ink. "Have you heard anything about Cabal movements?" Avgust asked, as he carefully stepped through the torn off door frame. "Not anything, I listen when I have the chance." Svarog said, "But, I do believe this area was abandoned a few hours ago. The last time a Centurion reported in was three hours ago. They do seem to occasionally send in scouts, however." "Explains the gunship." Avgust muttered. The outside world was again, just as ruined as the interior of the garage had been. The mostly flat streets were decorated with the destroyed frames of a few vehicles: a Cabal tank, three or so Guardian Sparrows and a handful of civilian transports. Several Cabal soldiers laid dead in the street, aside a few Guardian corpses. Avgust swallowed his anger, as he looked away at the fires that had scattered the streets: and the rain that beat against it. The Titan stepped carefully and listened closely to ensure that there had not been a quiet Cabal gunship in the distance, nor that there had been the squeal of some Cabal. There had not been a sound since the gunship left, other than the rain that pattered and the fire that cracked. Then, he heard it. The torrent of water that gushed through some obstacle. Indeed, he was close to Visegrád Dam. Avgust quietly stepped closer and closer to the landmark, as the paved streets and dead corpses grew thinner and thinner until there had been nothing more than darkened mud and stones. The Titan stepped closer to the Dam, as he realised the shape it took in relation to the rest of the landscape. It was almost as if he stood along the edge of the bowl, as two trails came at mirrored curves to meet the base of Visegrád. The service station and adjoined streets had fostered a small community: the service engineers of the Dam, mostly. Then he remembered. He had been there for the building, nearly two-hundred years before. The community of people that gathered around to build and utilise the water to help power the City. It had been a large project. Titans mostly did the heavy lifting and the architecture, while the Warlocks did the mathematical thinking. Hunters salvaged the plans from dams. It was a monument to unity. To power. And now it laid in ruins. The Titan approached the edge past the security gates. The hinges of the gate were broken, and the red and white arm had been torn off and broken into pieces. The security outposts were mostly craters, with shattered glass and bent plastic signs. A series of banners that represented the City were also torn down, left on the mud to be trampled on. Avgust sighed as he stepped closer to the paved ridge of the dam. He gazed upon the the hole that had been torn into the face of the structure: the metal that was adjusted out of place being beat upon by the rapid torrents that gushed out of the hole as if it were blood out of a wound. "I have no idea how you expect me to get around this." Avgust muttered. "You've jumped greater distances before. Without the Light, too." Svarog replied. "And if I miss?" Avgust asked. "Just hope you make it. The water might cushion the fall, but with how fast it is going… I don't really want to say." "Comforting…" Avgust pressed on, as he continued down the paved path with slow and steady steps. He turned his head to look along the chasm between the water and the waterfall he now stood between, as his stomach churned bitterly. He shook his head and walked on, even more careful this time. He slowly reached the wound in the dam, as he looked at the torn and charred concrete which contorted and cracked out of shape; the metal frame that bent from the awful force. The Titan stood close toward the edge of the hazard; his head turned up to look at the other side of the broken dam. "Schematics… there were interior walkways within this dam." Avgust said, as he lifted the Thunderlord over his head and attached the damaged machine gun to the magnetic locks on the back of his armour. "There were, but those were simple metal gratings which are likely to have been torn away at this point." "I know, but how long has the dam been like this?" Avgust asked. "At least three hours." "So, do you think the grating and most of the concrete slab that would have been torn off, is torn off?" The Ghost paused at the question. Svarog knew what the Titan had implied, but even Avgust knew that it was not as simple as that. "The dam would be broken part by part, until the damage caused the entire face of it to collapse. Perhaps for the moment." Svarog finally replied. "That is all I need to hear." Avgust muttered, as he took a few paces back away from the edge of the dam. He estimated the distance he would need to cross: about 2.6 metres. He had made longer jumps, but the reality of if he missed this one without the Light… the Titan immediately cancelled that thought, as he stood back 20 metres away from the edge. He drew in a sharp breath, as the Titan started his sprint towards the edge. Long strides, step by step he drew closer to the edge by just about two metres- Immense, burning pain tore through the Titan's chest in but a moment as he screamed in pain and was thrown forward toward the edge of the dangerous edge. His hands immediately groped the flaming wound as blood filled his hands along with torn skin. Avgust felt his heart beat faster, as the thing throbbed louder and louder in his ears. The edges of the Titan's eyes faded to black, as his body roared in pain. Faded. Drifted. Avgust tried to control his wild spin towards the mouth of the dam, as he eventually reached the edge of the plummet into the torrent below. But there was no control, as the Titan desperately grabbed for any part of rebar or concrete crack he could. But the black at the edge of his eyes consumed his vision, as the Titan felt the nails under his suit's gauntlets bend and break. And then, Avgust felt the gush of cold water as it washed over him as his memory faded to black. Category:Blog posts